I'd imagine that they'd prepared the SS using west zone and...

I'd imagine that they'd prepared the SS using west zone and submitted to ASX, instigating the trading halt. The subsequent suspensions were likely used to rewrite the announcement to what we now have as a result of the ASX putting the stoppers on the SS. Once they entered the trading halt, they had to release something for HC to talk about!

I agree that the SP would have gone this way in either scenario. However, I do think that the way it went down is better than just delaying the SS again. At least we know that the numbers are good enough to proceed through to PFS and they are talking to potential partners. Don't forget we also now have an Exploration Target in the west - don't think we had that before? So all in all, we do know more that what we did pre-announcement. Though agree that the market was expecting to know more at this time, hence the SP action.

As for your comment on the regrind - not really my field. Perhaps you could explain why you think it isn't a good look? Isn't it a case of trying to optimise the process for maximised extraction?